MusubiMurder

Sunday, 1 February 2015

The Musubi Murder

Publishers Summary

Small town life, big academic egos, corruption, revenge, and Spam musubis! The Musubi Murder is the first campus crime novel set in Hawaii, and the perfect gift for mystery lovers, Hawaii expatriates, disillusioned academics, and anyone who fancies Spam (the meat). Renowned Hawaii-born voice-over artist Nicole Gose brings her spot-on vocal characterizations and impeccable comic timing to this reading.

My Review

Frankie Bows' first Professor Molly Barda Mystery provides a good platform for the introduction of both the setting and the characters of her new series.

I enjoyed the setting, a university campus which, due to financial restraints has a deteriorating infrastructure and decor. The academic staff have also suffered the indignity and frustration of losing all authority over students. Heaven forbid a student be upset, offended or reprimanded lest they should leave, taking their uni fees with them! This situation contributes to some quite comical efforts of self restraint on Molly's part, involving her trying to chastise and punish students for their misdemeanours without actually saying so! Molly has far more patience than I, I would soon be out of a job!

I like Mollys' house, OK not the smartest, but probably a whole lot more interesting than the modern hermetically sealed clean and tidy abodes of some people ... Mentioning no names!

Then there is the murder mystery, It wasn't too difficult to be a little ahead of the story, but I must say, there were some rather stomach churning inferences along the way regarding the mortal remains! Some of the situations Molly found herself in gave the listener some nail nibbling moments! Poor Molly becomes as bewildered as a teenager when romance - or potential romance - students politics, friends, doubt, money, science, fraud and murder are all thrown in to the melting pot. Luckily for us, it's all spiced up with a little humour, romance and a touch of pathos.

I'm just not sure about the ending though. Having said that, it is the first book in a series, and now that everyone has been properly introduced, I look forward to many more Molly Barda Mysteries.

Narrator

Nicole Gose is new to me, I enjoyed her work very much, she certainly is a talent. Her voice is very clear, she has good timing and tells a story well, this is so important. I loved the regional accents, reminded me a little of Maori English. I found one little fault, and even then I guess it's a personal thing, and that is the voice of Emma, it was a little high pitched for the comfort of my ears.

I'd say this book makes an excellent audiobook, Nicole Gose as narrator was well chosen, and sound quality and production are both of a high standard.

I think listeners would be happy to know that Nicole will narrate all future Molly Barda Mysteries, so let's hope she does.